Flora of North America species comparison

(20–)30–100 cm, 2.5–8 mm wide basally, 0.7–1.6 mm wide distally.

10–40(–70) cm.

sheaths usually loose, proximally green-and-white-striped, not white spotted, with conspicuous transverse veins on back, fronts hyaline, sometimes transversely rugose and red dotted, thin, white or hyaline and fragile at mouth;

ligules 2–7 mm, shorter to longer than wide;

widest leaf blades (3–)4–8 mm wide.

blades 5–20(–1.5–25) cm × 2–3(–3.7) mm.

with 5–15 spikes, 1–5 cm × 8–15 mm, occasionally compound, then somewhat larger;

proximal bracts to 3 cm;

spikes with 5–15 ascending to spreading perigynia;

proximal internodes shorter than to 1.5 times as long as proximal spikes.

proximal bracts with well-developed blades exceeding inflorescences, sheaths to 10 mm, rarely in dwarf alpine plants with bracts scalelike, sheathless;

lateral spikes with (3–) 10–30 flowers, approximate or proximal distant, dense to somewhat lax, (4–)10–23 × 3–5 mm;

middle internodes 0.5–1 mm;

terminal spike usually staminate, occasionally gynecandrous, sessile or short-pedunculate, 6–18 mm, (1.8–)2–3.5 mm wide in staminate portion.

pale green to pale brown, veinless or 3–7(–12)-veined abaxially, rarely veined adaxially, 3.5–5.5 × 2–3 mm, body somewhat spongy, base thickened, margins serrulate distally;

beak 0.6–1.6 mm, apical teeth 0.3–1 mm.

ascending, whitish, elliptic-obovate, (2.1–)2.3–3.1 × 1.2–1.9 mm, densely papillose.

circular to elliptic- circular, 1.8–2.1 × 1.6–2 mm.

elliptic-circular, 1.2–2 × 1.1–1.5 mm.

scales hyaline or brown with green, 1–3-veined center, ovate, 2.6–4.4 × 1.3–2.4 mm, body shorter to slightly longer than perigynium, apex acuminate to short-awned.

scales ascending, pale brown to medium brown with paler center, ovate to ovate-circular, 2–3.2 × 1.2–2 mm, apex obtuse to acuminate, often mucronate to aristate.

1.5–3 mm.

staminate scales pale brown with paler midvein and hyaline margins, oblong-obovate, 3–6(–15) mm, apex obtuse to long-acuminate.